Harp-neck.



W. I. KIRK.

HARP NECK.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5, 1914.

I 1 53, 3 1 '7. Patented Sept. 14, 1915.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER I. KIRK, on CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, assrcnon TO LYON & HEALY, or cnronco,

' ILLINOIS.

' HARP-NECK.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patggnted Se t. 14 1915 Application filed January 5, 1914. Serial No. 810,308.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TVVALTER I. KIRK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Harp-Necks, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to harps, and especially to the portion of a harp known as the neck.

Prominent objects of my invention are to provide a strong and practical structure of harp neck; to arrange for the strengthening of the same at places where there is a strong tendency toward breakage; to avoid changing or spoiling the appearance of the harp; to accomplish this result without undue expense; and to secure the foregoing and other desirable results in a simple and expeditious manner.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a portion of a harp having a neck embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the neck with the various parts thereof shown separated from one another so as to more conveniently illustrate the invention; Fig. 8 is a cross section taken on a horizontal plane through the neck.

In Fig. 1 I show a portion of a harp involving the uprights 1 and 2, and the neck 3, together with strings 4.-4. The neck 3 is constructed of a series of layers 5, 6, 7, 8, and so on, which are preferably made of wood glued together. At the right hand end is a head 9 preferably made of two separable parts 9 and 9 as shown in Fig. 2, the part 9 being preferably provided with a dowel 10 to engage the side upright 2, and said part 9 being also preferably provided with another dowel 11 adapted to pass into and engage apertures 12 and 13 in the body part of the neck.

In accordance with my invention I provide a piece or strip 14: which I preferably place just beneath the outermost strip 5, and between the same and the strip 9. This piece 1 1 is preferably made of fiber or other suitable material, fiber being especially advantageous because it is very hard and strong, and also because it can be glued perfectly to the wood of the neck, which cannot be done with metal, and as will be seen by reference to Fig. 2, said strip extends from a pomt more or less near the middle of the length of the neck 3 to the right hand end thereof, whereby it encompasses both the concave part 3 (Fig. 1) of the neck, and also the convex part 3 thereof. In contradlstinction to this it will be noticed that none of the other strips of the neck extend 1n this way, all of them being jointed at some point along this portion of the neck. The strip 1 1 by extending clear to the right hand end of the neck, extends to and in substance forms part of the head 9. The left hand end of the strip 14: is preferably made oblique to the body of the neck as shown at 16 instead of directly crosswise of the neck. This strip 14 preferably has its lower edge 17 coincident with the lower edge of the neck, but its upper edge 18 is not coincident with the upper edge of the neck, but instead fits against a narrow strip 19 of material formed by one of the other layers of the neck, the strip 14: being a little less in width than the balance of the neck. This prevents the upper edge of the strip 1-1 from being seen at the top of the harp, which might be objectionable when said strip is made of a material substantially different from the wood of the neck; also this makes it necessary to finish the top of the strip which would be trying because the fiber is so hard. Theright hand end portion of the strip 14L is preferably formed of two straight sides 20 and 21, which fit against corresponding edges in the neck portion of the harp, which portions are shown as 22 and 23 in the lower head portion 9".

Thus it will be seen that the strip 14 forms a special reinforcing strip and gives the neck a special strength wh1ch I find in practice prevents its breaking or splittmg in a way in which I find harp necks as previously constructed do. By making an oblique joint as 16 strength is added for a crosswise breakage is in that way prevented, such crosswise breakage being likely to occur if the end joint of the strip lt were directly crosswise of the neck. A direct engagement and pressing of the head is also secured, and a direct connection of said head with said member 14. This gives added strength and an especially effective connection with the head. Thus the whole arrangement yields a strength and efiiciency, making the harp neck secure against breakage.

It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

formed extending'obliquely to the length of the neck at the place where the joint is located. v

2. A harp having its neck'provided with a reinforcing strip inlaid in a recess formed in the neck, one end of said recess and the end of the reinforcing strip fitting against the same being oblique to that portion of the neck where said end portion of said reinforcing strip is located.

3. A harp having its neck provided with a reinforcing strip made of material different from the remaining portion of the neck and inlaid in a recess of less width than the width of the neck, a portion of said neck covering one edge of said strip.

4. A harp having its neck provided with a reinforcing strip made of material different from the remaining portion of the neck and inlaid in a recess of less Width than the width of the neck, a portion of said neck covering the upper edge of said strip.

5. A harp having its neck provided with a reinforcing strip located between other strips and having its upper edge below the upper edge of the neck, a portion of which covers the upper edge of said strip.

6. A harp having its neck provided with an inlaid reinforcing strip made of material different from the remaining portion of the neck and interposed between other strips in the neck, and means for covering the upper edge of said strip.

7. The combination of strips forming a harp neck, a reinforcing strip interposed be- Ooples of this patent may be obtained for tween said strips, and a head made in two parts with said reinforcing strip interposed between the same.

8. The combination of strips forming a harp neck, a reinforcing strip interposed between said strips, and a head made in two parts with said reinforcing strip interposed between the same, and secured thereto.

.9. The combination with the harp neck, of a head therefor made in two parts, a reinforcing strip and a dowel on one of the parts of the head passing through said strip.

10. A harp neck comprising a series of longitudinally arranged strips, a reinforcing strip interposed between two of said longitudinal strips, said reinforcing strip having straight top and end edge portions, a head made in two parts and receiving the end portion of the neck and having straight edges corresponding to the straight edges of said strip, one of said head portions having a dowel passing through an aperture in said strip and through the same into the body portion of the neck.

11. A harp neck having a head made in two parts which parts are fitted to the opposite sides of the end portion of the neck.

12. A harp neck having a head made in two parts, which parts are hollowed out to inclose an end portion of the neck.

13. A harp neck having a head made in two parts, which parts are hollowed out to inclose an end portion of the neck, and securing means extending from one portion of the head to the other and through the inclosed end portion of the neck.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 16th day of December, A. D.,

flve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

